Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Slash: m/m, Drama/Angst, Romance, SS/RL, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense, Post-DH

Story Summary: The war is finally over and, to his surprise, Remus Lupin has survived, though questions about just what happened to him during the final battle haunt his dreams and his waking hours in equal measure. When he realizes that Severus Snape is also still alive, Remus knows he can’t rest until he finds him. Something deep within him whispers that Severus holds the answers he needs, and only when he’s face to face with him again will he be able to understand the true reason for his survival and find what’s been missing from his life for far too long.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

This lovely, angsty little romance begins with the happy fact that Severus Snape is alive and free after the close of the final battle.  So, why isn’t he halfway across Europe by now?  Having heard that Remus Lupin lays under a spell mimicking death, he knows that he alone holds the key to reviving the werewolf.  So, despite the danger, he cannot walk away.  He lifts the curse, only to discover that doing so brings him none of the things he’d hoped for.  In the wake of his disappointment, he disappears to start his life anew, and alone.

Remus Lupin, as he slowly tries to put his life back and memories back together after his health returns, knows that Snape has something to do with the fact that he recovered from the spell, and thus, must be alive too.  So Remus sets out to uncover where he has gone and how and why Severus did what he did. And when the two men finally hash out what tore them apart, the result is as pleasing as one could hope for.

So, the plot combines elements of mystery, suspense, action/adventure and hurt/comfort (in other words, your classic Snape/Lupin romance) as it turns out that Severus’s plans hadn’t covered every contingency.  Very good characterizations, an engaging story, a dashing rescue, and well-written dialogue make the 11 chapters an absorbing read, and the illustrations (from many different artists) which accompany most chapters are a welcome cherry on top.

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Slash: m/m, SS/RL, Action/Adventure, Mystery/Suspense, Snape Slash Multiple, Alternate Universe, DM/NL

Story Summary: Historical Snupin. Surprise me with a big story and flashy villains". And #4: "Snupin in a plot line from any of the series listed below in my likes list. I've got a fondness for Sherlock Holmes … There were also some pairing requests that I used but won’t list here so as not to spoil.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

AU, but not out of the magical world, the story opens with a murder, a murder which seems to point to a werewolf or other canine as the perpetrator.

The story is told in a series of Severus Snape’s diary entries, and who, in the first surprise, is not wearing Sherlock Holmes’ deerstalker cap.  That honor goes to Draco Malfoy, of all people, with none other than Neville Longbottom as his Dr. Watson.  Snape has been called in to consult, and we follow the twists and turns, and his established relationship with Remus Lupin, in his very much in-character voice.

The setting reminded me strongly of a Hiyao Miazaki film: a peculiar cross of Victorian England and the early 20th century, with magical trains, mechanical horse-drawn cabs, eccentric buildings (including a re-imagining of Number 12 Grimauld Place), arcane machinery of uncertain purpose and great airships.  All of this is used to great effect to propel the story, and I founf myself deeply engrossed before I realized it.  The story’s 11 chapters move quickly, and the denouement, while bit over the top, is gratifying nevertheless.

Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Slash: m/m, Romance, SS/RL, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe

Story Summary: Botanical geographer Severus Snape reawakens Lieutenant Lupin's interest in life, amongst other things.

AlbaLark’s Rec:

I have often wrestled with whether I should rec non-magical AU stories to KIAs, but this one is so beautifully done that I couldn’t help myself.

Consciously recalling Charles Darwin’s The Voyage of the HMS Beagle, this exquisitely written tale places Snape in Darwin’s role as the gentleman naturalist, and Remus Lupin as the First Lieutenant of the vessel under the command of Lucius Malfoy.  The story is told in logbook entries, book excerpts, letters and reminisces, mostly from Lupin’s POV.  The time and place have been so meticulously researched and so well drawn, you can almost smell the tar and feel the salt on your skin.

Snape and Lupin are wonderfully in character.  Malfoy is less so, as he is seen as more misguided, rather than evil, in his past allegiances, though he is still the haughty, upper-class snob we know.  The harsh conditions and harsher sensibilities of this era are realistically portrayed, and the relationship between Snape and Lupin progresses so naturally that the inevitable coming together is like that last piece of the puzzle joining into a satisfying whole.

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Slash: m/m, Drama/Angst, RL/SB, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe

Story Summary: What if Peter was a loyal Death Eater, but found a way to protect James and Lily from being hunted by Voldemort? When Peter sees to it that Harry Potter is born on July 15, 1980, the world changes.

harmony_bites’ Rec:

This story is centered on Peter and his part of the tragic events surrounding Harry Potter. A fic about fate, destiny, the pull of prophecy is all the more effective in the story as Peter tries to evade it. Moving story. The last line? Perfect. Written pre-Deathly Hallows.

Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Gen, Holiday, Crossovers, Action/Adventure, Lupincentric, Post-DH, NextGen

Story Summary: Out Christmas shopping with Harry, five-year-old Teddy gets lost in Knockturn Alley, and an unexpected rescuer turns up to help him out.

harmony_bites’ Rec:

This is a crossover with Dr Who (tenth Doctor) a show I don’t know well, but that didn’t stop me by being completely charmed by the picture of a wee Teddy Lupin at Christmastime.

Status: Completed

Length: Novella

Tags: Het: m/f, DM/HG, Drama/Angst, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Post-DH

Story Summary: Harry never made it and so the future of Magical Britain was re-written. Seventeen years after the fall of Hogwarts, the Commander of Voldemort’s Death Eater Army contemplates what true freedom really means.

harmony_bites’ Rec:

The story creates a vivid post-war world where Harry died and Voldemort won.  I liked the characterizations here. Draco’s changes in his allegiances is understandable and for reasons I think work with his character, and are well rendered. The Hermione is the one I think we all know well too–brilliant and unrelenting and the Pansy is a stand-out too. It’s a well-done alternate universe adventure tale.

Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Slash: m/m, Drama/Angst, Post-HBP, Romance, HP/RW, Action/Adventure

Story Summary: Hermione translated the inscription on the casket containing Ravenclaw's bracelet and she sat down at the table with them afterwards with a very serious look on her face.

harmony_bites’ Rec:

This is a post-Half Blood Prince story set within the Horcrux hunt, and features one of the hoariest of fandom cliches–a magical binding. But this is Shocolate, so I kept reading and am happy I did. An affecting, lovely romance between Harry and Ron that really builds well.

Status: Completed

Length: Short Story

Tags: Slash: m/m, Romance, Humour/Parody, SS/RL, Action/Adventure, Fluff

Story Summary: Severus and Remus get stuck in an unusual location.

harmony_bites’ Rec:

This is very clever and revolves around a creative use of magic with an amusing minotaur as an original character appearing. I also enjoyed the characterizations of both Snape and Lupin here and how they interact. Light, amusing tale. Written pre-Deathly Hallows.

Status: Completed

Length: Novel

Tags: Het: m/f, Romance, Rare Het Pairing, Action/Adventure, Post-DH, NextGen, SM/RoW

Story Summary: It was like a wizard tale. The clever Slytherin helps a hag who later repays the debt. Except that Rose Weasley wasn't a hag, and Scorpius didn't expect to call in the favour.

harmony_bites’ Rec:

The story quickly presents Scorpius with a dilemma–Lucius wants him to follow in his footsteps and join a wizarding supremacy group. Well-written plotty tale with many a twist and turn that features an appealing Scorpius and Rose, that while definitely affected by their families’ legacies, aren’t at all Draco and Hermione stand ins. Appealing romance.

Status: Completed

Length: Epic

Tags: Slash: m/m, HP/DM, Drama/Angst, Romance, Humour/Parody, Action/Adventure, Post-DH

Story Summary: Post-DH, HPDM slash. Need a perfect stranger? Come to Metamorphosis. Harry Potter runs the business secretly and becomes whoever's needed for each occasion. Now he's posing as Draco Malfoy's "perfect" boyfriend, Brian.

harmony_bites’ Rec:

I was intrigued from the first by Harry’s career, the whole idea of him working as a metamorph, creating different personalities to order–this aspect among others and how it tied into the plot was so creative and original. I liked the way the romance between Draco and Harry was developed too. Well-written and paced even at this length (and Harry/Draco isn’t my OTP) it kept my interest from beginning to end. A terrific read.